A fairly ordinary girl with an extraordinary love of life and words. I really can’t shut my brain off to what is wonderful and wonderous all around me. Friendly (most of the time), except at four in the morning when I wake up (and even then I’m generally affable), intensely curious, and trying to find a home for my YA novel. Any questions or just want to say ‘hi’ go ahead and drop me a note at heatherzundel [at] gmail [dot] com. I’d love hearing from you.

Followers

Current Theme Song (aka what's playing on my ipod right now): This is Halloween by Danny Elfman [The Nightmare Before Christmas soundtrack]

And, since I am in Disney World (at this very moment *squee!*) I can't help but add one more video. A documentary of the behind the scenes creation of The Haunted Mansion. (And this is horrible of me, but I never noticed it was the raven who was narrating! I love ravens.) It's Disneyland, so sue me, but it is so cool nonetheless. Happy Halloween!

Current Theme Song (aka what's playing on my ipod right now): Nevertheless (I'm in Love with You) by Frank Sinatra.

I stumbled on this little treasure quite by accident and I am so glad I did. Apparently this was a promotional item when the Haunted Mansion first opened and has become quite a fan favorite. From the back of the recording it reads:

"In 1969, this Disneylands Record Storyteller album was released to commemorate the opening of the Haunted Mansion. Intended as a simple promotional album, this recording has become a cherished childhood memory for many Disney guests. The Story and Song from The Haunted Mansion includes original scenes and effects that never made it into the final attraction as it follows two teenagers (voiced by Robbie Lester and a young Ron Howard) who take refuge inside the eerie mansion during a mysterious rainstorm."

Current Theme Song (aka what's playing on my ipod right now): Keep Breathing by Ingrid Michaelson.

This post should get so much love it should be drowning in it. If you've ever wanted to design or create a character costume for a book that you love, that just hasn't been given enough love (or the right love) you NEED this post from YAthenaeum. They say it will more skill, precision, and clarity than I ever could. It's a blog that is not much updated anymore, but this post should be bookmarked, stroked, and kissed goodnight if you've ever thought of creating your own book character costume, whether it be for a convention, Halloween, or for fun (particularly if there has never been a movie adaptation for it). Here is just a taste of what is over there:

Designing the Costume

First thing to do is skim the book and look for any pages that may describe the character you are going to dress up as, mark these pages.

Physical details are usually given, but their attire is not always described in detail. Try to take the setting of the book as a way to figure out the outfit.

Start sketching, draw, throw in as many designs as possible, you can pick and choose later.

After you have several designs, pick what you like from each and combine them to make the perfect outfit.

Current Theme Song (aka what's playing on my ipod right now): Requiem for a Tower by Clint Mansell.

One of my favorite favorite things to do for Halloween is to dress up as book characters. One year, I plan on dressing up as Sabriel (of the Garth Nix affiliation) but I have to figure out how to make chainmail first. Luckily there are internet guides out there (I love the internet). There are about 1.4 trillion and a half books out there*, and I know there is a perfect character for you.

So to help you, I've scoured the internet and the deepest recesses of my mind (a scary place mind you), to help kick-start the idea engine and help you find the perfect literary figment of your imagination that is dying to break out.

There are the classics: Nancy Drew, Sherlock Holmes, Elizabeth Bennett (and Mr. Darcy for your lucky boyfriend), Edgar Allen Poe, complete with a raven on your shoulder. For Miss Havisham all you need is a trashed wedding/prom dress and a crazy look in your eye and viola! Ariel/Prospero of The Tempest, Titania/Oberon/Puck of A Midsummer Nights Dream. Shakespeare character's could go on and on, or dress up as the bard himself!

An inflatable globe makes you an instant Atlas (or if you carry it lower you can be Ayn Rand's Atlas Shrugged) ;)

Want to be tricky? Dress up as one of the seven deadly sins (a fabulous visualization of them can be found on blackeri's Deviant art page).

Pregnant? No worries! Pin an "A" to your dress front, and you are a perfect Hester Prynne from The Scarlet Letter. (Shannon Hale did this one year and it was fantastic to see pictures of her in it).

Already have a costume planned out, have kids or are on a tight/non-existent budget? Got that covered too. :)

-Baby mouse costume = Hickory Dickory Dock/If You Give a Mouse a Cookie/Tale of Despereux-Any barnyard costume = Animal Farm-Roman centurion = Antony and Cleopatra-Baby bunny/rabbit costume = Peter Rabbit.-Witch costume = Wicked Witch of the West/Wicked (a scarecrow and tinman costume could be easy to "scare" up). :)-Indian = Indian in the Cupboard/Last of the Mohicans/take your pick.-Tons of layered shirts = Mrs. Whatsit from A Wrinkle in Time (this one could easily cost you nothing).-White pajamas, ears and a tail = Max from Where the Wild Things are (also cool with the movie coming out next month).-Striped red and white shirt and hat - Where's Waldo (awesome!).-Shirt with a green ham painted on - Sam I am.

Costume I seriously want to do someday - Scout's ham costume from To Kill a Mockingbird.

You can go as a famous character, like Twilight or Harry Potter, but do your own imagining. Who says you have to follow the movie? From Danielle Dreger-Babbit of The Examiner, here are her ideas for creating your own Twilight characters:

For the character of Edward, the only items you'll need are vampire teeth and some powder to make yourself pale. For Bella, cover your body in band-aids and ace bandages and carry around a copy of a Jane Austen novel. Jacob is a slightly harder look to achieve. My advice is to wear some super tight clothes with tears in them and give your best "werewolf" face."

She totally forgot the rub-on glitter though. And what about Wuthering Heights? This can equally be applied to any popular series/books.

Current Theme Song (aka what's playing on my ipod right now): An Understanding by Harry Gregson-Williams [Kingdom of Heaven soundtrack].

The idea of Monday's Muse is to introduce you to unknown, forgotten, or overlooked fiction that has been lost from regular radar. I am WriterGirl. I am in the business of saving lives, one book at a time.

What I do is go to amazon, narrow it down to a YA field and type in a random word, any word that comes to mind. I then take a sampling of some I have never heard of before, or only vaguely heard of (and hopefully you as well). No infringement is intended for any description I take for the books. It's purely for promotional reasons. I will try and cover as many genres as possible that are fitting for the random word. Simple but it really uncovers some incredible gems. I will be doing this every other Monday. If there are any words you want to prompt me with, go ahead and fire away.

Today's random word:Fear.

Summer of Fear by Lois Duncan.

From the moment Rachel's family takes in her orphaned cousin Julia, strange things start to happen. Rachel grows suspicious but soon finds herself alienated from her own life. Julia seems to have enchanted everyone to turn against her, leaving Rachel on her own to try and prove that Julia is a witch. One thing about Julia is certain-she is not who she says she is, and Rachel's family is in grave danger.

Legacy of Lies by Elizabeth Chandler.

Megan isn't looking forward to visiting her mother's mother, who has summoned her. Helen Barnes's coolness toward her granddaughter goes beyond the fact that Megan was adopted. As the days pass, strange dreams haunt the teen and give way to uncanny placements of household objects that had been removed or abandoned years ago. Megan struggles with many things: her physical attraction to her cousin; the feeling that she had lived in this forbidding house before; and the fact that her grandmother grows more hostile with each day. The girl's uneasiness bursts into fear as she discovers that she is destined to repeat the tragic incident that killed her grandmother's younger sister many years before. The author blends reality and the supernatural into an engaging suspense novel. Each character, both primary and supporting, continues to develop throughout the story, and the true murderer is not revealed until the end. Carefully drawn chapters bring readers into Megan's mystery and leave them satisfied at the end. A good choice for teens who enjoy a blend of mystery, suspense, romance, and the supernatural.--Jana R. Fine, Clearwater Public Library System, FL, School Library Journal.

Devil's Footsteps by E.E. Richardson.

Bryan was 10 when his brother, Adam, just . . . disappeared. That was five years ago, and now Bryan is the only one who seems to remember what happened.

Until he meets two others with their own unsolved mysteries. It seems that Adam isn’t the first to disappear. Someone or something is after the kids in their neighborhood.

The adults can’t hear it, and they can’t see it or feel it—but the kids can. And it all comes back to the skipping rhyme that every child in town knows by heart . . . and the Dark Man who haunts everyone’s worst nightmares—while they’re awake.

No Shame, No Fear by Ann Turnbull.

In 1662 the British Parliament passed the Quaker Act, making it treason to refuse to swear an oath of allegiance to the King and also making it illegal for the Friends of Truth, another name for the Quakers, to meet. It is during this time that 15-year-old Quaker Susanna and 17-year-old Anglican William meet and fall in love. To complicate matters, William, the son of the mayor, finds himself drawn to the Quaker faith, and Susanna's parents, friends, and mentor are imprisoned and persecuted. Susanna is also targeted for punishment after she continues to hold meetings with the children while the adults are in jail. This is a well-told historical tale, engaging and informative. The quality of the storytelling makes one wish for further resources or a historical note, but that doesn't detract from an enjoyable reading experience. --Cindy Welch, Booklist.

Fear and Laundry by Elizabeth Myles.

When seventeen-year-old Veronica Montez and her best friend Lia discover their favorite hangout’s about to go bankrupt, they put together a benefit concert to try and rescue the grungy Laundromat-slash-rock venue. All they need’s a guitarist to round out their new punk band so they can headline the show. Enter Lia’s virtuoso brother, Jake, who unexpectedly drops out of college and returns home just in time to fill the bill.

Veronica soon bonds with gifted but temperamental Jake over their affinity for gory horror flicks and discovers he’s as ambivalent about his future as she is. Talk about terrifying. If someone as smart and talented as Jake can’t figure out his life, what hope does Veronica have? Really Liking Jake scares her, too, though she can’t decide if she’s more afraid he won’t like her back or that he will. Something tells her he'd be interested in more than just hooking up, and while fake blood and guts and machete-wielding movie maniacs don’t faze her, the thought of risking her heart in a real relationship sends chills up Veronica’s spine.

Dread Locks: Dark Fusion #1 by Neal Shusterman.

Shusterman brings a new and unique perspective to the old Medusa story. Parker Baer, 14, has plenty of material possessions but is bored. Then Tara, with her spirals of golden hair and dark sunglasses, moves in next door. Within a short time, Parker's family and friends are sick and behaving strangely. When Tara takes him on a death ride that takes them over a cliff and neither is injured, the horror of her power becomes clear to him. As the situation becomes grimmer, the teen is forced to confront her with bone-chilling, spine-tingling results. Exotic and strange Tara keeps readers on the edge of their seats with her unconventional behavior and unusual perspective on everyday life. The plot twists and turns move the story toward an unexpected end. In a horrifying climax, Shusterman delivers the moral of the tale, unusual in itself, for most books of this genre rarely deliver a message so powerfully. However, it is the gross-out factor that readers will remember. Eating kitty litter with milk, statues with fingerprints, and other unexplained (until the very end) behaviors will keep readers turning the pages even as they shudder to think what will come next. The book's front cover will attract teens, and the title perfectly fits the story. A good addition for those libraries with horror lovers who have moved on from R.L. Stine's "Fear Street" series.–Molly S. Kinney, Nova Southeastern University, Ft. Lauderdale, FL, School Library Journal.

The Midnighters #1: The Secret Hour by Scott Westerfeld.

A few nights after Jessica Day arrives in Bixby, Oklahoma, she wakes up at midnight to find the entire world frozen, except for her and a few others who call themselves 'midnighters'. Dark things haunt this midnight hour – dark things with a mysterious interest in Jessica. The question is Why?

Three-hundred-year-old Risika looks darn good for her age. Thanks to her "blood mother," a vampire named Ather who turned Risika (nee Rachel) into one of the undead back in 1684, she will always look as fresh as a 17-year-old. Now Risika is a world weary night stalker who sleeps in Concord, Massachusetts, by day and prowls New York City by night, in search of fresh blood to slake her inhuman thirst. One of the benefits of living such a long life has been discovering that most of the popular myths about vampires are not true: "Holy water and crosses do not bother me... and silver does not burn me. If someone hammered a stake through my heart, I suppose I would die, but I do not play with humans, stakes or mallets." In fact, there is little in the mortal world that surprises Risika anymore, until she returns from a hunt one night to find a black rose on her pillow--the same flower she was given on the eve of her mortal death. Knowing that the rose is a taunt from Aubrey, a vampire she believes murdered her human brother, Risika decides to confront her nemesis. In a bloody battle with Aubrey, Risika finally unearths her brother's true fate.

While the plot of this vampire tale may not stand out from the fanged masses of the genre, what does stand out is the fact that the author is 14 years old. Teen horror fans of Anne Rice and L.J. Smith will surely want to experience for themselves how In the Forests of the Night stacks up to their favorite adult titles--and will be especially interested in seeing how one of their young peers plies the writing trade. (Ages 12 to 15) --Jennifer Hubert, Amazon.com review.

Killer's Cousin by Nancy Werlin.

Many secrets bubble just beneath the surface of this skillful thriller narrated by a high-school senior who has been accused?and acquitted?of murdering his girlfriend. David Yaffe moves from Baltimore to Cambridge to avoid publicity, but instead of finding refuge with Uncle Vic, Aunt Julia and cousin Lily, he is shown to their attic apartment and expected to fend for himself. His relatives appear to be conducting a cold war. Still blaming each other for their daughter Kathy's suicide four years ago, Julia and Vic have stopped speaking to each other. The one who suffers the most from their silence is 11-year-old Lily, who shows signs of being emotionally disturbed. Suspense rises to a feverish pitch as pieces of a complex puzzle fall into place, involving Kathy's death and Julia and Vic's estrangement from each other and from David's parents. Even Kathy's ghost seems to make an appearance, imploring David to "help Lily." Meanwhile, Lily is doing everything she can to turn her parents against him. David's attempts to pull the family together fail miserably until, in the aftermath of a chilling climax, he confronts his own demons as he attempts to help Lily dispel hers. The novel's gothic flavor, compelling minor characters (David's skinhead friend, Frank, and Raina, a college student and artist) and subtle exploration of guilt and complicity add texture to this tense psychological drama. Werlin (Are You Alone on Purpose?) leaves enough unanswered questions to make readers want to keep lights burning a little longer than usual. --Publisher's Weekly.

Current Theme Song (aka what's playing on my ipod right now): The Crystal Chamber by James Newton Howard [Atlantis: The Lost Empire soundtrack]

James Earl Jones reading anything has my heart, but this is one of my favorite renditions of Edgar Allen Poe's famous poem. And, just because I couldn't help it, I also found a version where they've tweaked the audio just enough to imitate Darth Vadar's iconic breathing. To each his own. Why not both? :) Have a great weekend, everyone!

Current Theme Song (aka what's playing on my ipod right now): The Forest of the Deer God by Joe Hisaishi [Princess Mononoke soundtrack].

My reviews are a bit different than most. As an undercover superhero (ordinary girl extraordinaire), my purpose is to try and uncover hidden gems lost from the familiar radar. Because of this, I have set up some guidelines for myself (just like the pirate code). :)

I will focus on YA and Children's literature (with very rare exceptions).I will not review any book that is one of the top 25,000 bestselling books (based on Amazon ranks).I will try and aim for books 100,000 or larger.I will review recent books or books of great merit (preferably both).

Poetry, the kind that strikes just the right chord is something utterly sublime to me. I love how the words are so carefully crafted, refined and clarified to the most potent distillment. It makes me more aware of words and language than almost any other thing.

This collection I found at a local bookstore during a large sale. It was tucked in between a myriad of picture books, and even with the illustrations (which are gorgeous) done by his brother no less, I do not believe this is a book meant for children only.

It opens with a nightingale speaking with a toad in an exchange of sorts. From there it morphs into a series of poems based around various subjects, like "Plant Creatures," "Four From the Forrest Floor" and "Periodic Riddles" (which include such poems as "Hydrogen." "Oxygen," and "Neon."). Most are on a very specific focus, but change the way one such simple things, like in "A Dropped Watermelon."

Here is one example

An Alarm Clock Powered by AAA Batteries

Two slender bodies are the fuelIt feeds upon. You might suppose them deadAnd buried, but their hearts are beating...Witness the blood-bright light they shed.It's the sheer steadiness of appetite -Never a moment when the thing's not eating -That chills you in the dead of night.Time isn't just unjust but cruel.

The Final Word:

Unusual and wonderful, this book of poetry is startling, and not meant just for a young audience. But if any adult is not willing to give it a chance, more the treasure for them.

Current Theme Song (aka what's playing on my ipod right now): One For My Baby (And One More For The Road) by Frank Sinatra.

Do you remember R. L. Stine? I remember R. L. Stine. Do not ask what got it into my tiny third-grade head, but I loved his books. I read them voraciously. One of my favorites was a "choose your own adventure" about a creepy carnival (it's sad I can't remember the name of it anymore). There were 20 possible endings and only three of them good. I tried everything to get myself a good ending, you know, where I wasn't dangling over a pot of oil or a giant raven's claws were hurtling toward me...

Never. Not once, even after finding the good endings and trying to work backwards. Still - powerfully wonderful memories. And to get into the Halloween spirit, who better else than the children's master of horror than R. L. Stine himself? Here is a fun interview with him and I think he may be spot on as to why I loved them so much. Have a great weekend, everyone!

Current Theme Song (aka what's playing on my ipod right now): Indra by E. S. Posthumus.

Not only am I a self-proclaimed nerd, revealing itself in the most surprising and delighted ways, I love sharing that nerdy geekdom with the world. ^_^

This video makes my mind sizzle with ideas, and I cannot help but have it tied inexorably with Beth Revis' incredible books, starting with Across the Universe (A murder mystery in space. What more could you want?). But seriously. A chance to have any experiment you want performed up in SPACE? In the international space station? *dies*

*ahem*

It is for anyone 14-18, so even more reason to share this news on a YA blog. Is you are between those ages, or know anyone within those ages, go for it! *roots you on*

And because I'm on a Beth Revis kick right now, I would highly suggest heading over to her post, like, right now. She has a major contest going that I would die to win. It's behind a secret page filled with the kind of goodies that will make your eyes pop. But even cooler? It's password encoded so you have to work your tushie to get it. And yes the reward is that much sweeter for it.

It's an awesome password. It is so easy once you know what it is, and yes, I was *headdesk*ing for a solid minute once I found out, a lot like these people:

:)

And her response? (I'm not kidding)

Yes, that innocent face is a facade hiding a heart of evil wrapped in maniacal laughter.

If you want to cheat like me, just "like" the Across the Universe facebook page and on the left sidebar is a button called PASSWORD REVEAL (subtle, I know) ;) And as an added bonus, once it gets to 5,000 likes, they will release the first chapter, which I am dying to get my hands on. And once you know the password, you can *headdesk* with me. :)

Current Theme Song (aka what's playing on my ipod right now): Hollow by Submersed.

The idea of Monday's Muse is to introduce you to unknown, forgotten, or overlooked fiction that has been lost from regular radar. I am WriterGirl. I am in the business of saving lives, one book at a time.

What I do is go to amazon, narrow it down to a YA field and type in a random word, any word that comes to mind. I then take a sampling of some I have never heard of before, or only vaguely heard of (and hopefully you as well). No infringement is intended for any description I take for the books. It's purely for promotional reasons. I will try and cover as many genres as possible that are fitting for the random word. Simple but it really uncovers some incredible gems. I will be doing this every other Monday. If there are any words you want to prompt me with, go ahead and fire away.

Today's random word:Scary.

Scary Mary by S.A. Hunter.

Mary just wants to be left alone, but the cheerleaders, jocks, guidance counselors, and ghosts won't stop harrassing her. When a new boy starts school, he surprises Mary by befriending her. That's a rare thing for the school freak, but her unusual abilities put a rift in their budding friendship when Mary has to tell Cy that his home is haunted and not by Casper, the friendly ghost.

Roald Dahl's Book of Ghost Stories by Roald Dahl.

Who better to investigate the literary spirit world than that supreme connoisseur of the unexpected, Roald Dahl? Of the many permutations of the macabre or bizarre, Dahl was always especially fascinated by the classic ghost story. As he realtes in the erudite introduction to this volume, he read some 749 supernatural tales at the British Museum Library before selecting the 14 that comprise this anthology. "Spookiness is, after all, the real purpose of the ghost story," Dahl writes. "It should give you the creeps and disturb your thoughts." For this superbly disquieting collection, Dahl offers favorite tales by such masterful storytellers as E. F. Benson, J. Sheridan Le Fanu, Rosemary Timperley, and Edith Wharton.

Ashes by Ilsa J. Bick.

It could happen tomorrow . . .

An electromagnetic pulse flashes across the sky, destroying every electronic device, wiping out every computerized system, and killing billions.Alex hiked into the woods to say good-bye to her dead parents and her personal demons. Now desperate to find out what happened after the pulse crushes her to the ground, Alex meets up with Tom—a young soldier—and Ellie, a girl whose grandfather was killed by the EMP.

For this improvised family and the others who are spared, it’s now a question of who can be trusted and who is no longer human.

Author Ilsa J. Bick crafts a terrifying and thrilling novel about a world that could be ours at any moment, where those left standing must learn what it means not just to survive, but to live amidst the devastation.

A Scary Scene in a Scary Movie by Matt Blackstone.

Fourteen-year-old Rene is a high school freshman living in a scary movie. He smells his left hand when nervous, cannot pick up a face-down coin, and will not move if the time adds up to thirteen. If he does, something terrible will happen to him or someone close to him. Rene tells his mom he is in between each of the groups at school, trying to find where he fits; but Rene does not fit with the Devilblackcoats, the Cutters, the Bigbulletholes, the Smartypants, or the Angels. He does not fit with anyone until he meets Giovanni. Giovanni tries to help Rene become cool, but they both end up in a jam when they run off to New York City after Rene's estranged father returns unexpectedly. The book is written in Rene's voice. Blackstone shows real insight into the thoughts of a teen with obsessive-compulsive disorder. Through his friendship with Gio and with the help and understanding of his mother, Rene eventually gains some control over his thoughts and actions, enough to be able to walk and talk and sleep in his own skin comfortably. Many teens will recognize someone they know in Rene and gain some understanding of the kid who does not fit in.--Deborah L. Dubois, VOYA.

The Forest of Hands and Teeth by Carrie Ryan.

In Mary's world there are simple truths. The Sisterhood always knows best. The Guardians will protect and serve. The Unconsecrated will never relent. And you must always mind the fence that surrounds the village; the fence that protects the village from the Forest of Hands and Teeth. But, slowly, Mary’s truths are failing her. She’s learning things she never wanted to know about the Sisterhood and its secrets, and the Guardians and their power, and about the Unconsecrated and their relentlessness. When the fence is breached and her world is thrown into chaos, she must choose between her village and her future—between the one she loves and the one who loves her. And she must face the truth about the Forest of Hands and Teeth. Could there be life outside a world surrounded in so much death?

We Have Always Lived in the Castle by Shirley Jackson.

Taking readers deep into a labyrinth of dark neurosis, We Have Always Lived in the Castle is a deliciously unsettling novel about a perverse, isolated, and possibly murderous family and the struggle that ensues when a cousin arrives at their estate.

Current Theme Song (aka what's playing on my ipod right now): Hands by Jewel.

Now it's my turn. I couldn't resist. Here is my entry for the 90 Second Newbery Festival, from the (utterly amazing and jaw-dropping fantastic) Newbery-Honor winning novel The Thief by Megan Whalen Turner. I don't think there are any big spoilers in it (I tried not to, at least). It is mostly filled with inside jokes but even so, if you haven't read it - don't click that button. I know it's tempting. Even more so now that I've said no. It calls to you, my preecciousssssss. But don't. This book is one that is too good to be spoiled. So just lift your hand from your mouse and scurry over to the library, and pick yourself up a copy. THEN come back and click. I can't promise it's amazing, but it sure was a lot of fun to make. :) Have a great weekend, everyone!

Current Theme Song (aka what's playing on my ipod right now): Ombra Mai Fu by Jackie Evancho.

Sometimes, it pays to be first.

Michelle, YOU'VE WON!

*tosses confetti*

*gets confetti lodged in throat*

*chokes and coughs*

*spits pink and orange flakes for the next hour*

Please please please email me (or, respond to the email I am about to send riiiigghhht... now). Because we truly do not want a fiasco like my last contest (here, here, here, here, here AND here). Hilarious, absurd, and so much fun to look back and laugh on now. :)

Current Theme Song (aka what's playing on my ipod right now): The Forest of the Deer God by Joe Hisaishi [Princess Mononoke soundtrack].

My reviews are a bit different than most. As an undercover superhero (ordinary girl extraordinaire), my purpose is to try and uncover hidden gems lost from the familiar radar. Because of this, I have set up some guidelines for myself (just like the pirate code). :)

I will focus on YA and Children's literature (with very rare exceptions).I will not review any book that is one of the top 25,000 bestselling books (based on Amazon ranks).I will try and aim for books 100,000 or larger.I will review recent books or books of great merit (preferably both).

Sailing toward dawn, and I was perched atop the crow's nest, being the ship's eyes.

My Take:

Imagine if airships had become the dominant form of sky transport instead of planes (and were, how should we say, far less flammable) inside of an alternate history circa (roughly) 1920, add in a dash of high seas piracy and pursuit of scientific discovery, and you have one excellent story on your hands.

Matt Cruse, a cabin boy aboard the floating airship Aurora spots and saves a distressed hot air balloon with a dying old man inside. Before he dies, he speaks of a remarkable creature that could not possibly exist. One year later, a stalwart and headstrong young Kate de Vries comes aboard the Aurora looking for the very creature described in her grandfather's notes. A bond is formed because of their connection to her grandfather and he agrees to help her. They get a lot more than they bargained for in the process.

The characters are wonderful and alive. I loved the developing relationship between Kate and Matt. It felt so natural, but so did the characters themselves. Kate can be exasperating. The secondary characters have genuine depth and reality to them. And Matt is not perfect. In fact he has obvious fits of jealousy against someone who doesn't deserve his venom, but it only serves to make him relateable and real. And oh my goodness, the kissing scene. Heck. Yes. I was listening to this on audio first and this was the first time I skipped back so I could hear it again. But no, I am not telling you where it is. :)

The story is wonderful, the dialogue utterly organic and natural (it is probably one of his greatest strengths), fantastically paced especially once you get past the first couple of chapters, this story is exciting and the perfect blend of different. Adventure, discovery, high (high) seas pirate action, this hearkens back to the best kind of adventure books but is infinitely fresher and down to earth. So to speak. Highly recommend.

The Final Word: This is the best kind of modern Robert Louis Stevenson imaginable with action, adventure, and thrilling theatrics. Highly recommended for both boys and girls alike.

P.S I love the last line. It made me grin all kinds of silly. But don't you dare read it first, you last page cheaters! It will have no meaning for you if you don't read it start to finish.